No More Baby Mess

If you are interested in getting your baby to pick up his or her messes, you will love using these techniques to make cleaning fun for your baby and housework easier for you. Keep in mind that your baby is learning most of what he does from you, and if you are a clean person he will want to be as well. Praise is something that will always make a child smile and keep them responsible for their actions, this is a great way to keep your baby cleaning his messes. Ask your baby to help you with something, and they will love the responsibility that you give them, even if they have know idea how to accomplish the task. To accomplish teaching your child to be clean, be sure to make it fun and a happy moment, and they will eventually do it without being asked.

Monkey See, Monkey Do....

Take note of how your baby watches you, during the day especially while you pick up the house. As soon as you see any interest, have him participate in helping you clean. Your baby will actually slow you down, for a while until he understands the process. The pay-off is sometimes immediate, depending on your baby's attention span and personality. My baby tends to be a clean freak like me, so I enjoy his need to clean up his own messes. Use keywords, such as trash, floor, laundry basket and toy box, and always use these words in short phrases, so he can recognize them. When your baby goes to the trash can with trash, be sure to clap with him afterward, so he recognizes that he did something you wanted him to do.

Simple Awards

Clapping, hugs and playing with you should be your babies simple awards. You want to make sure not to reward your baby with items or food, so they don't expect it later, or think they should get big rewards for something that is their responsibility. When your baby does something you ask him to do always clap, mine claps for himself, when he knows he's done something correct. Give your child a hug if he helps your do the laundry or offers to help, without being asked, always tell him how much you appreciate it. If you need to clean the house quickly, let your baby know that you would like him to clean with you, even if you hold him or he just follows you around mimicking your movements, then let him know that when you are done you will play with him. They will recognize this as a compromise later on, and will understand that they have to wait for you to give them complete attention, sometimes.

Make It Fun

If a your baby learns that cleaning up and chores can be fun, he will be more willing to participate as an older child. If you have to do laundry, put him in the basket for a ride to the washer, let him help fold clothes when they are done, or bury him in the laundry pile and laugh. Put bubbles on his head and nose while he watches you do the dishes and let him put the clean ones up with you. If your baby isn't afraid of the vacuum, let him take a turn pushing it with you, or make the noise with him while you clean the floors and laugh. Show him that all of these things are fun when you do them together.

Babies are always learning, and there is no shame in teaching a small baby how to pick up after themselves, as soon as they start walking. My son is 16 months, and will clean any spills or messes he makes, even when he isn't asked to. Not all children will be so willing to help, but if you are doing it, they will want to be a part of what you do, and think it's the norm. Smile a lot and praise your child when there are things to do around the house, and he will probably end up not complaining as much when he is a teenager. Get a sling, or carry him around when you do some of the chores he can't do yet, so he feels good about helping you, and let him know you enjoyed his help. If you want a cleaner house, teaching your children at a young age by keeping your home clean, praising them and making it fun are great ways to show them that they are already responsible for what they do in life.